


Wal-Mart Is Where Bad Ideas Go To Thrive

by Narutwink



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: M/M, SO MUCH FLUFF, Wal-Mart at 2 AM, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-16
Updated: 2013-12-16
Packaged: 2018-01-04 20:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1085120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narutwink/pseuds/Narutwink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras hates Wal-Mart. Enjolras will always hate Wal-Mart. Who he meets in Wal-Mart, is another story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wal-Mart Is Where Bad Ideas Go To Thrive

Enjolras was not happy. If Courfeyrac were there he would say, “you’re never happy so stop complaining.” Enjolras would constantly deny that, he was happy when he wasn’t thinking about how stupid society was. Granted, he was thinking about that most of the time but that is neither here nor there.  
No, this time; however, Enjolras was livid because it two am and he was standing in the middle of a Wal-Mart. Normally, Enjolras would go no where near a Wal-Mart and he would rather die than buy anything from a corporation that is so shady and shitty to their workers, but this was an emergency. Both Courfeyrac and Combeferre had come down with serious fevers and they had run out of…well everything. Enjolras would have rather gone to a gas station but they didn’t have the medicine Enjolras needed so, here he was. Walking around Wal-Mart with a scowl that could peel paint and stalking towards the soup section. He picked out Chicken Noodle, because Courf is just an overgrown four year old, and Tomato for Combeferre, because he is a sick human being. Who likes just plain tomato soup?  
Enjolras stocked up on both and grabbed every kind of fever reducer and sleep aid he could find; he looked like a walking pharmacy. Enjolras knew this would happen. It happens every single year because Courfeyrac is too much of a “free spirit” to be confined to closed toe shoes and scarves, when in reality he’s always late and just forgets, and Combeferre is so overworked it’s a wonder he remembers to use the bathroom. Enjolras scowled at the rack he was at and slowly made his way to self-check out. Enjolras is a very smart man; if his current degrees he was in the process of receiving were any indication. They were law, sociology and psychology, so yes, he was very smart, however; when he stood in front of the self -check out he was confused. He had never used one before because he either shopped at the local Farmer’s Market or small, hole in the wall shops that only had one cashier. He figured he had to swipe the things across the scanner, that was easy enough, but the FUCK WAS IT NOT SCANNING? Enjolras waved the can of soup over the scanner once, then again, and again, and again. Enjolras was fuming so he set down the chicken noodle and tried the tomato.

“ _I’m sorry. Please scan again._ ”

“Son of a _bitch_ ”

Enjolras pulled his arm back and let the stupid soup from the stupid Wal-Mart go flying across the store. 

But it didn’t. Enjolras stared where the soup should have hit a wall and realized some behind him was laughing. Enjolras turned around to find a pair of blue eyes, much lighter than his own, looking amusedly at him. 

“You know, I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of ‘no throwing’ policy here.”

“I’m pretty sure I don’t really give a shit right now.”

Enjolras sighs. It wasn’t this guys fault the damn soup was a piece of shit. He frowns and pinches the bridge of his nose. 

“I’m sorry. It’s this stupid soup won’t scan and my friends are back at our apartment sick as dogs and their probably throwing up on _everything…_ ” 

But the guy wasn’t listening, he had moved to the register Enjolras had been using and starts scanning everything. Enjolras just blinks at him and the guy turns around and smiles. 

“There you go, everything is all ready and prepped to make you overpay.”

Enjolras smirks and pays for everything while the dark haired man leans against the register next to him. 

“Thank you.”

“No problem, you’re obviously tired and you’re totally adorable so, why not help out?”

Enjolras blushes and the man’s eyes widen as he realizes what he said.

“I mean, sorry. I have no filter. That was…a creepy thing to say. You looked tired, it’s 2 am and Wal-Mart fucking sucks. I’m just going to go over here and pay for my crap and leave you alone now.”

“N-no. It’s fine, it wasn’t…well it was kind of creepy but whatever. What’s your name?” Enjolras stutters out.

The man cards a hand through his hair and blushes. 

“I go by Grantaire but my friends call me R.” He says holding a hand out. 

Enjolras snorts and shakes Grantaire’s hand. 

“That’s very funny. I go by Enjolras.”  
Grantaire whistles. 

“That’s a fancy name.”

“And Grantaire isn’t?”

“Touché, my friend. Touché”

Enjolras smiles and blushes again when he realizes he still was holding Grantaire’s hand. 

“Uhm, thank you again. I probably would have caused a scene and gotten thrown out and then where would my friends be? Courfeyrac would probably die of starvation.” Enjolras says off handedly. 

Grantaire raises a brow. 

“Adam Courfeyrac?”

Enjolras is quiet for a moment.

“Yes? Do you know him?”

Grantaire laughs and smiles at Enjolras.

“We hung out in high school a lot. I haven’t seen him in a few months though, I’m actually rooming with a former room mate of his, Marius.”

Enjolras’s face falls and he frowns slightly. 

“Pontmercy?” The blond asks.

“Yeah! Are you friends?”

“He broke three of my lamps in two hours.”

“Oh. Yeah, he does that. We had to bubble wrap everything for a couple months before he memorized where everything was and wouldn’t run into if he forgot to turn on a light or just wasn’t paying attention. We call it ‘Pontmercying,’ he’s still a really great guy, though.”

“He’s very…perky.”  
“That he is. He’s always smiling and he’s helped me through a lot. I don’t know where I would be without him. I love him a lot.”

Enjolras’s stomach falls a bit.

“So are…you two dating?”

Grantaire snorts.

“Oh god, no. He is very much in love and he isn’t particularly in to guys.”

Enjolras nods and shifts from foot to foot.

“So, are you?”

“Am I what?”

“In to guys?”

Grantaire blushes again.

“Uhm…I kind of whatever? I think girls are really pretty but guys are hella hot as well. I just…if they’re great then why not go on a date with them, you know?”

Enjolras smiles. Although he didn’t have anything particularly against girls, he couldn’t help but thank everything above that this guy was not straight. 

“Yeah, I do.” 

“So…uh, you should probably get home to you friends so they don’t puke on everything or starve to death and I should probably buy this stuff before it looks like I’m trying to steal it.”

“Huh? Oh shit, yeah you’re right. I’ve been gone for two hours. Shit. Shit. Shit.”

“Night Enjolras.”

“Good night, thank you so much!”

He nods and goes about scanning his things.  
Enjolras was already on the highway when he realized he hadn’t thought to give Grantaire his number.

“ _FUCK._ ”

Enjolras thinks about going back for a split second but Grantaire was probably already gone and he really needed to get this medicine to Courf and ‘Ferre. 

When Enjolras arrived back at his apartment he found Courfeyrac wrapped around a small trashcan in the middle of the living room moaning. He could hear Combeferre throwing up in the bathroom, hopefully, into the toilet. Enjolras made his rounds to the men with a cup of water and handful of pills. Courfeyrac was passed out on the floor in minutes. Combeferre actually made to his bed. 

Enjolras collapse on his bed and closed his eyes. All he saw behind his lids were a pair of blue eyes behind a dark head of hair. Enjolras huffed and rolled over. 

He really should have gotten the guys number. 

The next morning Enjolras, still wearing his clothes from the night before, was awoken by Courfeyrac jumping on the edge of his bed excitedly. 

“I see you’re feeling better.” Enjolras says yawning. 

“All thanks to you! You’re our own personal little guardian angel, you know that? I mean you went to _Wal-Mart_ for us.”

Enjolras frowns at the brunet, “Please, don’t remind me.”

“Ok, fine. But come get the pancakes we made out of love!”

Enjolras smiles and follows Courfeyrac into the kitchen, where Combeferre was standing in an apron stirring chocolate syrup into milk.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

“I could say the same to you. I’m guessing you feel back up to speed as well?”

Combeferre sets a glass of chocolate milk, along with a plate of pancakes, in front of Enjolras and nods. 

“Thanks, by the way. I was to busy throwing up my internal organs to say it last night.”

“Just what I want to hear while I’m eating.”

Combeferre rolls his eyes and sits next to Courfeyrac who is already devouring his way through his plate. They eat in a companionable silence for a while and Enjolras notices the soup he’d bought last night sitting next to the microwave. 

“Hey Courf, do you know a guy named Grantaire?”

Courfeyrac snorts and glances at Enjolras. ‘

“Yes, how do _you_ know him?”

Enjolras shrugs and continues into his food. 

“I met him last night at Wal-Mart. He kept me from chucking some soup into the middle of the store and getting me kicked out.”

He could practically hear Combeferre roll his eyes beside him. 

“I actually need to hang out with him. We were really close in high school and we’ve both been pretty busy since he got his job at an advertisement place and I started my major classes. I haven’t seen him in awhile, he rooms with Marius, you know?”

Enjolras nods and tries to focus on his food, “Yeah, he mentioned it.”

“We should get them all together and go out one night, it would be great.”

Enjolras ‘Hmms’ and drinks the last of his milk. 

“Usually you want to bring everyone you know here.”

“Actually, you just gave me a great idea. We could invite them over and have a party! We could get all of our friends from high school! Enjolras! Please, please, please can I have a pa…”

Before Courfeyrac can even finish his begging Enjolras grabs his plate and heads for the sink saying, 

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

He hears Combeferre drop his fork while Courfeyrac sits in stunned silence before saying, “

“Is HE sick now?”

 

Enjolras realized his behavior was out of the ordinary, but he didn’t care very much. It was ridiculous, but he _needed_ to see Grantaire again, at least to ask what his first name was. He felt it was very sketchy to be crushing on a guy and to only know his last name. 

Oh, well shit. Enjolras had a crush. _He had a huge massive fucking crush on some random guy he met at Wal-Mart._

Oh shit. Holy shit. 

Enjolras had never really paid much mind to crushes. He had found a few people in his life to be attractive, but he rarely pursued it. He was always to busy studying or trying to get through class work o helping his friends. He didn’t have the time to pursue a relationship. Now, with his internship about to begin and he was well on his way in forming and sponsoring, with his parents money, a political and civil rights activism group, he busier than ever before. 

_But this GUY._

He was obviously a genuinely nice person, and he was so cute and those eyes, oh dear shit he was gushing. 

Enjolras, who rolls his eyes every time Cosette’s adorable smile or rosy cheeks are brought up, is gushing. 

“This party could not come soon enough,” Enjolras mutters to himself as he walks back into his room. 

Incidentally, when Enjolras arrives home after classes that day, Courf excitedly informs him that the party would be the following evening.

“So…is there like a dress code for these things?” Enjolras asks awkwardly.

Courfeyrac cocks an eyebrow at Enjolras.

“Uhm. No, not really. What you’re wearing now is fine. It’s not exactly formal, you don’t have to impress anybody. It’s just a bunch of my friends from high school. They’re very chill.”

“Uh huh,” Enjolras says absentmindedly, “Ok, cool, thanks.”

“No problem,” but Enjolras was already in his room with the door shut and rifling through his clothes. 

 

The next day went by agonizingly slow.

Enjolras could barely focus on the court cases he was supposed to be memorizing and he’d ripped his closet apart twice before finally deciding on a pair of red skinny jeans and a black v-neck. 

The blond leaned back in his chair and groaned into his hands.

“You alright in there?” Combeferre asks from the hallway.

“Yeah, this class is just kicking my ass.”

“Courf made cookies downstairs, if you’re interested.”

“What flavor?”

“Chocolate chip and M&M’s.”

Enjolras was out of his seat and down the stairs in a flash. It was a little known fact that chocolate chip and M&M cookies were the direct line to Enjolras’s heart. Courf knew this and used it to his advantage on more than one occasion. It seemed, that was what he was doing right now. When Enjolras landed in the kitchen, Courfeyrac was sitting on the counter with his legs crossed, eating a cookie and staring directly at Enjolras. Enjolras probably should have seen this coming but it was too late now.  
“Hello. Why don’t take a seat. Grab a cookie. You want some milk?”

“Courfeyrac, what are you doing?”

“Why are you acting so weird?” Courfeyrac asks narrowing his eyes.

“What?”

“Why. Are. You. Acting. So. WEIRD?” He emphasizes. 

“I’m not, now give me a cookie,” Enjolras says while making his way to the cookie sheet. 

“Not until you tell what’s up. First, you say I can I have a party without any begging or pleading even after you said ‘I was never, for as long as you lived, allowed to have another party in this apartment because I let Bossuet puke in the vase.’ Then, you, of all people, are worried about to wear to one of my parties? You never care. I have known you for three years and your clothes and how people perceive you has never been important except for when you were applying for your internship. Then I hear you tearing up your closet. So, What is wrong?”

It was true. Enjolras had never really cared how people saw him, being that most people only saw his face and hair and assumed he was all looks and nothing upstairs. He usually avoided Courfeyrac’s parties altogether, for the most part, he didn’t really take to the whole atmosphere unless it was people he knew well and trusted. Him getting drunk was not a pretty sight. 

“I’m fine, it was just a simple question. Now give me a cookie.” Enjolras sighs exasperatedly.

“That’s bullshit, and no.”

“Courf. I will push you off this counter to get to these cookies. Do you really want that?” Enjolras says scowling at his friend. 

Courfeyrac groans and says, “Fine. But I am going to get to the bottom of this, whatever it is. Rest assured. You can’t hide from me forever!” And with that, Courfeyrac fled the room. To do what, Enjolras’s wasn’t sure nor did he really want to know. He did know; however, that Courfeyrac was the last person he wanted to know about his huge enormous crush on his friend from high school.  
Enjolras and Combeferre helped Courfeyrac set out selective snacks and alcoholic drinks for everyone. They also moved breakable objects into the bathroom and moved the couch into a place that it was less likely to be tripped over. The doorbell rang as Enjolras moved the last of the picture frames into his room. 

“WHAT’S UP FUCKERS?”

Enjolras rolled his eyes and came down the hallway to find Joly, Bossuet, Musichetta, Feuilly and his girlfriend in the living room. Enjolras and the lot all attended the same college and had been collaborating for months on the activist group with him. He loved all of them dearly and it was great to actually have friends he could count on. He knew these were going to be his friends for the long haul when, out of coincidence, they all stood next to each other during a female reproductive rights protest and they all yelled “Bullshit” when a preacher said that if a woman got pregnant it was her responsibility to raise the child. They met up again because they all happened to frequent the LGBTQIA office at their college. It wasn’t long before business bled into social outings and they were all close and no one even realized how much so until they were all sleeping on the floor watching Disney movies. 

They all started pouring their drinks when the doorbell rang again. This time, Enjolras didn’t recognize the people at his door. 

“AW SHIT. IT MUST BE A PARTY NOW.” A large man yelled as he made his to Courfeyrac and picked him up in a hug. 

Courfeyrac giggled when the man set him down and he turned to the group. 

“Everyone, this is Bahorel. I went to high school with him and behind him,” Enjolras hadn’t even noticed a girl standing behind him, “Is Éponine. She a fucking firecracker and I’ve been scared of her since I was fourteen.”

She laughs and it sounds rough. “As you should be, heathen.”

Enjolras greeted them and stood against the doorframe as they got introduced individually. The way Bossuet jumped into a hug with Bahorel, he guessed they had met. 

“He went to high school with us,” Courfeyrac told Joly, who seemed to be worried that Bahorel might break of few of his boyfriends bones. 

“COURFEYRAC!”

All eyes turned to the door to see a tall body flying into the house and tackle Courfeyrac, who responded by swinging him around. 

“Jehan! How has my wonderful poet been in the company of a heathen and a puppy?”

“Hey! Shut the fuck up, Marius is not a heathen!” Enjolras stilled and his breath caught in his throat. 

Grantaire, Marius and Cosette walked in together following Jehan and Courfeyrac nearly squealed when he jumped into Grantaire’s arms. 

“Oh sweet Grantaire. I know that. Marius is a sweet thing who sometimes can’t his right from left. You’re the one leading him down a path with an arrest record.“

“That was once and if you’re going to throw shade, I can just leave.” He responds smiling. Enjolras almost yelled out no, but it was obviously a joke so he refrained. 

“Oh, hey it’s angry Wal-Mart Soup guy. Enjolras.” Grantaire says smiling and Enjolras could visibly feel his cheeks light up.

“Hey Grantaire.”

Courfeyrac looked between them and a look of astonishment passed over his face before he grinned and started introducing the group to everyone. 

“So you’re Enjolras?” the boy with sandy hair, Jehan, asks. 

“Yeah, it’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard stories.” Jehan blushes and laughs. 

“I really hope it wasn’t the bad ones.”

Enjolras smiles. “Likewise. I’m sure Marius has alerted you to some of the things I’ve done.”

“You almost made him cry.” Enjolras grimaces.

“That was actually an accident…and I apologized!”  
Jehan laughs and they continue talking before Jehan gets called by Bahorel to regale the group with a thrilling story that Enjolras couldn’t bring himself to listen to fully. Enjolras scans the room for Grantaire but he doesn’t see him so he goes and fills a cup full of coke and rum and heads out onto the back porch. Having a first floor apartment had a few perks, a porch was one of them. He sat down and decided to look up and see if he could name all of the constellations Combeferre had taught him and Courfeyrac during the summer. 

“Get into a fight with any canned food lately?”

Enjolras whips his head around to find Grantaire slipping out of the back and walking towards him. 

“Haha. No, I have not.” He says taking a sip of his drink, hoping the alcohol would loosen his nerves. 

“Good. Mind of I join you?” He asks taking a seat next to the blond. 

“Not at all. It’s a free porch, you can do as you please.” Grantaire smirks and finishes his beer and opens another. 

“So, Enjolras. I’m going to assume that it isn’t your full name, mind I ask?”

Enjolras shrugs.

“It’s my last name. My first name is Aidan. I like to go by my last name because my parents would call me by my full name and it was very annoying.” 

Grantaire nods and drinks while thinks on it.

“What about you, R?”

Grantaire smirks. “It seemed my first name was only used if I was getting in trouble, my last name is just safe. My first name René, by the way, but please don’t use it.”

“Fair enough. Courfeyrac said you got a really cool job.” Enjolras says blindly looking to make conversation. 

“Hm. I wouldn’t exactly call it cool, but I make advertisements for companies who signs or artwork and their business, things like that. I also free lance, but I started up classes at the university again now that I can afford it.”

Grantaire smiles at the last bit and Enjolras can’t help but want him to keep doing it. 

“So you’re an artist then?”

Grantaire nods taking another drink of his beer, “It’s hard as hell, but I love it. I love art in general. It just feels right, you know?”

Enjolras nods. He wasn’t an expert in the arts, by any means, but every time he wipes the floor in mock debates in class, he knows it’s where he’s supposed to be. 

“What about you?”

Enjolras takes a swig of his drink, just in case.

“I’m, uhm, going into law school. I mean, I hope. I haven’t taken the bar exam yet, but I will soon. I really want to be a lawyer. I want people who don’t get the representation they deserve to have a fighting chance. Like that girl in Steubenville, she has the odds against her and that’s one of the shittiest things I’ve ever seen. I want to be able to give people like her the defense they deserve. No one deserves to be treated like that. They treat her like some sort of outcast and those pieces of shit are just going to walk even though they _raped_ her. I wouldn’t let shit like that happen, EVER.” Enjolras can tell he’s rambling so he looks to Grantaire to make sure he isn’t getting too much into a frenzy, but Grantaire is smiling at him. 

“That’s a very noble thing to do. Most people go into the judicial system for the paycheck, not what they can do to help. You seem like a very good person, Enjolras. I’m usually a very good judge of character, the fact that you’re adorable might be swaying my decision a little though.”

Enjolras grins. “Well, I would hate for my face to get in the way of my mission. I might just have to get plastic surgery.” 

Grantaire gasps and places a hand over his heart. “You wouldn’t dare! The very heavens would weep!” 

Enjolras laughs, harder than he has in a while. It might have something to do with the drink, but right then, he didn’t much care. 

“You know Enjolras, I might just have to stick around so you don’t something stupid.” Grantaire says smirking.

Enjolras cocks a brow. “Oh, and how do you plan on doing that?”

“Well I’m not trying to brag or anything, but I’m pretty damn good at cooking. Ask any one, it’s like a superpower. I could treat you to dinner, or we could go to a movie? I have a fantastic taste in cinema and popcorn as well.”

Enjolras snorts and smiles.

“You really are adorable.” 

Enjolras rolls his eyes and responds with, “Dinner, sounds great. My place, or yours?”

Grantaire laughs out loud in retaliation. “I happened to get a look at your pot and pan situation and I have to say, it’s pretty dire. I’ll have to say my house would probably be better.”

Enjolras makes the most scandalized face he can muster. “How dare you insult my pots and pans! They try their best!”

Grantaire holds his hands up in surrender, “I’m sure they do! But it can’t help that their owner doesn’t take care of them.”

“Well I never!” Enjolras says, making his best Georgia peach impression. 

They both laugh and until they’re crying and Enjolras can’t help but sigh when he looks at Grantaire. Grantaire is grinning back.

“What?” Enjolras asks.

“You’re just…you’re really awesome.” Grantaire says shrugging. 

“How so?” Enjolras asks, genuinely intrigued.

“It’s just, I’ve met a lot of fake people in my life. Dated a good amount as well, and you…you’re just really…genuine?” He says, waving his hand trying to find the right word.

Enjolras blushes and he hadn’t realized the space between them had decreased until Grantaire turns back and their noses are almost touching. Enjolras blinks and closes his eyes as he feels Grantaire close the space between them. Grantaire’s lips are slightly cold from the night air and they’re lightly chapped, but the kiss is better than most things Enjolras had experienced in his limited dating repertoire. Enjolras doesn’t know how long it would gone on if their wasn’t suddenly a loud, ‘ _OH MY GOD_ ’ behind them. 

Grantaire and Enjolras whip around to find Courfeyrac flat against the back glass door with a face of pure excitement. Enjolras blushes and Grantaire’s eyes widen as he debates throwing his beer can at the other man. Enjolras sighs and Grantaire hands him his phone. 

“If you don’t mind, while beat Courfeyrac senseless, please put your number in my phone so that we can hash out plans for tomorrow night.” Enjolras smiles and takes the phone as Grantaire chases Courfeyrac into the house and yelling out ‘YOU FUCKING WEASEL.’ 

Enjolras puts a heart next to his name and texts his own phone from Grantaire’s, saving it. When Grantaire returns, he looks pleased with himself and he has a new can of beer. 

“Here you go.” Enjolras says, passing his phone back.

“Thank you. Now, before we were so rudely interrupted.” Grantaire says plopping himself back down next to Enjolras and lays back. Enjolras follows suit and they spend the rest of the night looking at stars, when Grantaire gets called to get in the car he had almost fallen asleep. 

“R?”

“Hm.” 

“I think Marius and Jehan are leaving.”

“Let them.” Enjolras rolls his eyes and leans over the other man.

“Come on, you need get up. You want to be bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow so that you can make me the best damn dinner I’ve ever had right?”

Grantaire lets his eyes open slightly and he grins up at Enjolras. “You drive a hard bargain.”

“I try. It’s kind of what I want to do with my life.”

Grantaire smiles and leans up, pressing his lips to Enjolras’s. Enjolras smiles into the kiss and leans up with Grantaire following him. Enjolras breaks away and smiles at Grantaire. 

“Tomorrow, seven o clock.”

“Sounds good to me. I can’t wait.” And Grantaire places a kiss on his cheek before getting up and heading to the door. 

Enjolras can’t help but fall back into the grass and smile and if he almost fell asleep there, Combeferre didn’t mention it.

**Author's Note:**

> This was honestly a two in the morning writing spree. I saw a Tumblr post of prompt and I said, "Ah yes, I've been in Wal-Mart at 2 AM. I can relate."


End file.
